Church Partnerships

Local to Global

Your church has a passion to see the hope of the gospel permeating the world and wants to turn it into real, effective action. Astoundingly, the channel for action is humanity—his broken yet redeemed agency for transformation. South America Mission is a bridge-builder, connecting redemptive agents from local churches to contexts of ministry in South America.

The church has a missionary spirit, because Jesus, its founder, was a missionary. The church today must “go”, with Jesus’ final words to his disciples to replicate among the nations serving as the billowing wind in the church’s sending sails.

For more than a century, South America Mission has been serving the local church with a passion to spur onward the Great Commission enterprise. From helping identify missionary candidates to caring for them over a lifetime of service, SAM provides the expertise and care to send those God is calling, and to equip them for long-term effectiveness.

Our century of ministry experience, grasp of complex international environments, cultural expertise and networks of partners in South America combine to make us an excellent sending partner.

We Help Churches Mobilize

Missions Coaching: SAM’s Mobilization team will personally guide your prospective missionaries through the process of getting to the mission field. From discernment to deployment, our team has the training and experience to get your missionaries to their countries of service.

Church Consultations: Every church, regardless of size, age, or past experience, can be involved in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. Even so, we can all use a catalyst sometimes to get started; we’d like to be that catalyst for your congregation.

Short-term Teams and Internships: One of the greatest means of mobilizing people for long-term service is through exposure to God’s global work over short periods. SAM works with many churches to send teams and interns to work alongside missionaries in our contexts of ministry as a key step in the discipleship process and in awakening hearts and minds to God’s redemptive purposes for the nations.

Missions Places: A Missions Place is about gaining exposure to God’s heart for the nations. SAM and TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission) are partnering together to bring a Missions Place to Charlotte, NC (opening first quarter 2016).

At a Missions Place, you can discover what God is doing around the world through the arts and through meeting people who have experienced firsthand God’s redemptive work at a global level. The setting is also great for outreach events, congregational gatherings, lectures and concerts, and as a comfortable meeting space to enjoy a cup of coffee to foster community. Coaches are available for meetings at the Missions Place. Charlotte will be the fourth strategic location with Grapevine, TX, Maryville, TN, and Chicago, IL, already open. You can read more about Missions Places here.

We Equip Missionaries and their Sending Churches

Pre-field Screening: SAM missionaries are thoroughly vetted before being received as members. Our application process includes evaluation of ministry experience, assessments of biblical and missiological compatibility, medical and psychological screening, and inter-cultural adaptation screening.

We also create space for missionary candidates to “screen” us, to discern whether or not SAM’s vision and mission are compelling to individual candidates given their inclinations and giftings. Our Journey Conferences, 2-3 day events held bi-annually in the Charlotte region, are where the vetting and discerning process begins to take shape.

Pre-field Training: Before leaving for the field, SAM missionaries are equipped to build and maintain their support team, handle the spiritual and emotional demands of cross-cultural life, integrate into and embrace our missionary community, and minister effectively in an international context.

Our annual Candidate Orientation (GOCO) is where equipping begins in earnest. Typically held over a two-week period in latter June, GOCO invites all missionary candidates, SAM leadership and staff together. We also welcome representaives from sending churches to participate in GOCO.

Logistical Support: SAM missionaries receive practical support in areas like visa acquisition, navigating international travel and facilitating supporter communication. SAM missionaries, through their employment with the organization, also have access to health insurance and retirement savings vehicles.

Missionary Teams: SAM missionaries serve within intentional teams with clear vision and regular accountability. SAM’s experienced leadership keeps our diverse teams working together, and ensures that our focus remains on the multiplication of the church through the embodiment of the gospel of grace.

Missionary Care: Cross-cultural ministry takes a spiritual, emotional and physical toll, even when everything appears to be going just fine. That’s why SAM keeps a network of missionary-care professionals working to ensure the health of our missionaries.